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Brain abscess due to Enterococcus avium

Srujana Mohanty1, Benu Dhawan, Arti Kapil

  • 1Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
|March 16, 2005
PubMed

Insights

This report details the first brain abscess caused by Enterococcus avium in a young man with chronic otitis media. Despite surgical intervention, the patient did not survive, highlighting the severity of this rare infection.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Chronic otitis media can predispose individuals to intracranial complications.
  • Brain abscesses are serious infections requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Observation:

  • A 19-year-old male with a history of chronic otitis media presented in a comatose state.
  • Brain imaging revealed a temporal lobe abscess with significant mass effect and signs of herniation.

Findings:

  • Emergency surgical drainage of the brain abscess was performed.
  • Cultures identified the causative agent as Enterococcus avium, a rare cause of human infection.
  • The patient unfortunately succumbed to the illness despite treatment.

Implications:

  • This case represents the first documented instance of brain abscess attributed to Enterococcus avium.
  • The findings expand the known clinical manifestations of Enterococcus avium infections.
  • Highlights the importance of considering unusual pathogens in severe intracranial infections.

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